The provincial government is moving forward with its school fee reduction through Bill 1 following the release of the provincial budget last week, but Rocky View Schools is holding off celebrating.
The provincial government is moving forward with its school fee reduction through Bill 1 following the release of the provincial budget last week, but Rocky View Schools is holding off celebrating.
Bill 1: An Act to Reduce School Fees was tabled earlier this month proposing to eliminate bus fees for eligible students who live more than 2.4 kilometres away from a designated school, and removing the cost of instructional supplies and materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, print and paper costs.
“Under the former PC government, we got into a situation where school boards were forced to put fees into place because they couldn't rely on the government for stable funding … we don't want to nickel and dime parents, ” Banff-Cochrane MLA Cam Westhead said.
The cut to the two fees, which make up an estimated 25 per cent of all fees collected each year by school boards across the province, would save an estimated $50 million annually for families.
The majority of efficiencies were found in the Education Budget, Westhead explained - with 31.5 million in the current budget allocated to make up costs for the more than 50 million in eliminating the two fees, and the difference to be implemented in the 2018 budget.
Through staff attrition and hiring restraints, a reduction in department travel and supply costs, and a review of existing grants and contracts, the Ministry of Education will save $15 million.
“No one will be let go but as people retire or go to other positions, that position may not be filled, ” said Westhead.
Another $5.6 million will come from reducing funding for the credit enrolment unit cap. Currently school boards are funded for students to take 60 credits, but on average students only take 37.
The remaining $10.9 million was found in other ministries and re-allocated to education.
While the numbers look good on paper, Rocky View Schools Ward 6 Trustee Fiona Gilbert said the board still needs more details before it can say how the changes will affect Cochrane.
“The devil is still in the details and until we get the regulations for Bill 1, it's hard to know for sure what parents will still pay for, ” Gilbert explained.
“I totally support what the government is trying to do and the intent of Bill 1 but it is not an easy fix and I think there are parts we are still waiting, ” Gilbert said.
Gilbert explained there are a lot of “nitty gritty ” details that will determine what the new fee structure will look like. For example, what is the definition of a designated school?
She questions whether students attending French Immersion in Cochrane will qualify for the bus fee elimination because many of those students do not attend their designated school.
Gilbert also worries that the grant given by the government will not make up for the eliminated fees because Rocky View Schools has one of the fastest growing school divisions in the province - with 289 new students enrolled for the 2015-2016 year.
“Little details like that is what we are still trying to wrap our heads around and what that means for everyone else, ” Gilbert said.
“School boards are not to blame for school fees, it was uncertain and unstable funding by the former government, ” Westhead said.
If Bill 1 passes it will come into effect in September.
